Cooler memory foam?
| Has anyone found any memory foam that it is actually sleeps cooler than "normal" memory foam? I have 2" of Sensus memory foam, which I like, but it does tend to heat up. So far, I prefer memory foam over latex as the top comfort level, if it were not for the heat issue. I have not tried a wool topper. I just ordered a matress pad/cover that has wool tufting instead of polyester, so that might help a bit. The Sensus is under the cotton/wool mattress cover which should help too, but I still feel more heat than I would like. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
| How about researching previous forum contributions before reposting topics that have already been discussed NUMEROUS times! |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
| I have searched, and I did not see anyone saying one brand they used was actually cooler than another. Maybe I missed it. Some brands claim to be cooler, but I am a bit skeptical of that. I might try the memory foam one layer lower to see how that works. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Sandman: This product is certainly not memory foam. But it is a new product by Latex International called Celsion. Here is there web site info. They claim it sleeps cooler! And I know what you mean about using this website's search function. It does not always reveal the results you're seeking. Possibly some folks know how to manipulate it better than I do. http://latexinternational.com/index.php?did=47 This message was modified Oct 29, 2009 by eagle2
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Re: Cooler memory foam?
| I'd certainly be interested in hearing some feedback about Celsion. However, I haven't really noticed my latex bed sleeping "hot." I notice I'm nice and warm in bed, but not unpleasantly so, and I don't end up waking up all sweaty from heat reflection. Just warm and comfortable enough that I don't want to get out in the morning :) |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Thanks. I don't have a problem with warmth (so far) when I use all latex. My issue is that I prefer the feel of memory foam vs. latex at the top level. Not a huge difference, but for some reason I find that after I sink in the latex for a while it seems a little hard (maybe because at that point it is essentially compressed rubber?). When I go softer, I seem to lose too much support. I think Kimberly might have a bit of the same issue, based on her description of saying she would like a softer feel. I don't have the hard feelling as much (if at all) with memory foam a the top layer, but then heat becomes more of an issue. So, my holy grail to finish off the bed would be to have a layer of memory foam that does not get hot. I am not sure they really exist, but some do claim to sleep cooler. I am trying to find out if someone actually experienced a cooler memory foam. I don't want to buy something, if it is not going to work any better than the Sensus. Venus memory foam claims to be cooler, but not sure if that is just marketing hype. Maybe I need to find a place with a good return policy. Maybe a thin wool topper over the latex would reduce the hard feeling a bit. Don't get me wrong. Overall I am pretty happy with my Flobed. Just trying to get it as close to 100% satisfaction as possible. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Sandman, I agree with the sinking in and then feeling "harder" sense but going softer being less supportive. I'm also trying to find that magic balance as I need a very soft top due to nerve pain but with a lot of support for my low back... I would try the memory foam top layer myself instead of the convoluted "egg-crate" but wouldn't be abel to tolerate the chemicals/smell. I use a wool fleece pad on my latex FloBed as I prefer it (more than without) for temperature regulation, but I don't find it softer with the wool pad. People say wool is great for pressure point relief and softness, but that's not my experience; it anything it feels a a little bit firmer to me. I actually prefer the feeling of just being on the latex (with the wool-cotton mattress cover it comes with) and a thin cotton mattress pad, but much prefer the wool fleece pad for temp regulation. In terms of heat, I wouldn't use any kind of mattress pad or bed topper with polyester (or sheets). I've found bamboo-cotton sheets are even cooler than all cotton (and lower, rather than higher thread counts). |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Thanks. I ordered a new mattress cover that has wool tufting instead of polyester. That may help some. I think my sheets are a pretty high thread count (and fairly new unfortunately), so I may have to rethink those as well. I having been researching the Aerus Natural memory foam by Foamex. It supposedly is cooler and circulates air better. Comes is different densities, 3lb., 4lb, 5lb.,etc. Hard to find the right inches and density though at a good price. Have not found too many reviews comparing its temperature moderation to "regular" memory foam. Maybe be worth a try. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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I have been sleeping on a Foamex DIY mattress for about 3 years. First two years was 6" of base Reflex foam (3" of 28 lbs and 3" 35 lbs) I had 4 " Aerus at 4.1 lbs. It slept significantly cooler than a generic memory foam DIY mattress I had before. About a year ago I added 1" Venus 8 lbs. I did not notice much difference in terms of heat. I felt more back support without much addition of "firm feel." |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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I tried the Sensus memory foam 1 layer lower, to see how that was. I still got somwhat hot, and it lost some of the memory foam feel as well. So, I am planning to sell the 2" of Sensus foam. I ordered 1" of mem-cool 4lb memory foam from Overstock to see how that works. I would prefer the Aurus by Foamex, but that only comes in 2" or greater (in 4lbs or 5lbs.). Plus cost of $200+, and not sure it will work any better than the mem-cool. Unfortunately, Overstock is out of Aurus. Meanwhile, I went back to the convoluted latex and changed the middle layer to firm for xfirm. That seemed to help with the hardness issue, and definitely not as hot as the Sensus. Still seemed like enough support. That may end up being my best solution. Meanwhile, I am probably going to switch out my 600 TC Supima cotton sheets for 200TC Egyptian or a cotton/bamboo blend. Costco has the cotton/bamboo blend, so I may order those to see if I like the feel. Supposedly, bamboo breathes better than cotter and sleeps cooler. Bamboo sounds wierd, but I am willing to experiment with a return option. Still waiting for my washable wool/cotton Natura mattress pad. That might add some temperature moderation as well. As a final frontier, at some point I may try a snugfleece mattres topper. I am probably going crazy with too many options, but getting the right softness/temperature seems like the final major piece in getting this right for me. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Sandman, You may notice quite a difference not using 600 count sheets. They're woven so tightly that they don't breathe as well as 200 or even 300 count. The bamboo-cotton have become my favorite, especially for summer. Very lightweight and silky feeling and cool (ever worn a light rayon shirt? kinda like that). I also use a set of organic cotton, I think they're 230 thread count. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Thanks. I just orderd the bamboo/cotton sheets from Costco. They are 250TC, 55% organic cotton, 45% bamboo rayon. I hope I like them. I can return if I don't like. It is funny because I used a different memory foam topper for several years on an innerspring mattress. The heat was not that big of an issue with that. It probably was lower density. So, perhaps the 5lb Sensus is unusually hot? Or maybe it is the combo of memory foam with latex, which may not breathe as well as an innerspring? Not sure, but it is something I have to solve. Worst case is that I will stick with the convoluted latex. That does not get too hot. I guess I could also go with a lower ILD Celsion latex top layer. Not sure if that would resolve the slight hardness issue. |
Re: wool-cotton mattress pad
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sandman wrote: Still waiting for my washable wool/cotton Natura mattress pad. That might add some temperature moderation as well. Sandman, can you please report back after you try this out? (Same with the cotton/bamboo sheets?) I thought I was done spending $ on my new bed, but now that fall has come and I've got my down-alternative comforter on the bed, I'm waking up hot & sweaty. I think my options are: a) change the programmable-thermostat settings so the heat doesn't come on until after I get up (wake up to a cold house; cheapest option and first one I'll try); b) ditch the comforter and buy a lighter-weight comforter or a medium-weight blanket (I'm using a low-thread-count cotton duvet cover, which I just bought because the flannel cover was way too hot); c) ditch the polyfill/cotton mattress pad and get a wool/cotton pad or an Outlast pad*, or something else that helps regulate body temps; or d) some combination of the above. (And if anyone's wondering: nope, not in menopause yet, so these aren't hot flashes. Or, uh, power surges....) The washable wool/cotton mattress pad looks nice (& a little pricey), if what I found online is what you ordered. I think I'm waking up hot because I've got too much non-breathable polyfill stuff under me and on me. It's all very cozy, but it's gettin' hot. (And I'm someone who is usually cold.) -Catherine *Edited to add: I just found the "update on wool/Outlast toppers" thread, and it looks like Outlast is not the answer. Or at least, not an Outlast pad that's got polyester fill (seems like the fill would defeat the purpose of the Outlast; odd). This message was modified Nov 1, 2009 by Catherine
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Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Yes, I will report back. Did not have much of a heat issue last night with the Sensus foam out of the mattress. Warm but not too hot. I gues that is about all one can hope for. There will always be some body heat build up.<BR><BR>As you can see in the earlier posts, I tried the Outlast and it did not work for me. It aborbed heat for a while, but eventually it built up to a hot level (when using the Sensus foam). I don't think it had anything to do with the wool. I just think it aborbs the heat but eventually has to release it somewhere. Not sure if wool will work any better with the Sensus foam.<BR><BR>The best price I found on the Natura washable wool/cotton mattress pad was at Select Comfort. They were way lower than anyone (at $105 for Queen), but they did charge tax an shipping. I think the total was around $127. I think the second best price I saw was $153. It has not arrived yet, so I am still wondering if they will send the right thing.<BR><BR> LL Bean also has a washable wool/cotton mattress pad for $129 (I think?). Tax and shipping might be free. Their's is made in China, and I think has a little less wool. The Natura ended up being a little cheaper anyway.<BR><BR>One other thing I got was a camel hair filled comforter from Costco (expensive though). Camel is suppose to do a good job regulating heat like wool (but lighter than wool). I found my down comforter can be too heavy and hot (I only use it in cold weather though). I probably have too much fill in the down one, but it is good on cold winter nights (I don't use my heater much - near the Ocean).<BR><BR>So far I like the camel hair comforter. It is pretty light and warm. Might work in winter as well with a couple of blankets. Might be too warm for summer though (no air conditioning).<BR><BR>So I am spending a lot of money, and getting a bit burned out on that. However, the only things I really bought in the last 20 years were sheets, 1 cheap mattress pad, 1 piece of memory foam from Costco, and 1 down comforter. So, I guess I am due for a total makeover.<BR><BR>The final thing I might try is the Snugfleece. That has a 30 day trial period, so maybe worth a shot. Will probably wait to see how the "mem-cool" memory foam from Overstock is first. This message was modified Nov 1, 2009 by sandman
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Re: wool mattress pads
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sandman wrote: The best price I found on the Natura washable wool/cotton mattress pad was at Select Comfort. ...... LL Bean also has a washable wool/cotton mattress pad for $129 (I think?). Thanks for the tip on Select Comfort. The Web site didn't have a full-size pad (just king & queen sizes), but maybe I'll call the local SC store to see if they have it in stock. Otherwise, the LL Bean one might be worth trying for me (full size is $109). So I am spending a lot of money, and getting a bit burned out on that. However, the only things I really bought in the last 20 years were sheets, 1 cheap mattress pad, 1 piece of memory foam from Costco, and 1 down comforter. So, I guess I am due for a total makeover. Funny; I'm doing the same thing (total bed makeover). I used my old mattress for 18 years, and didn't buy new linens very often; just used them till they wore out. So when I finally got the new mattress & foundation, I also got new anti-dust-mite mattress encasings, new sheets, new pillows, etc., plus the latex toppers. Knew I needed the new stuff; just didn't have the $ for a while. Now that I finally have my new bed, I'm loving it. -Catherine |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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It seems like Select Comfort might have mispriced it, so I am hoping they come through for me. I forgot to add that I ordered a new pillow as well. I like down, but I tend to sink in too far. So, I splurged and ordered an 800 fill power firm one from United Pillow. It is expensive, but they also have cheaper ones with lower fill power. I read about them in the Wall Street Journal. There was another pillow place (myidealpillow.com) that sounds interesting. They design a pillow for you based on specification you put in (height, how sleep, chest size, mattress firmness, etc.). They have a guarantee as well, so I might try them if I am not happy with the United Pillow one. I tried a shredded latex pillow, but was not totally happy. It had some smell (which might have gone away eventually), and seemed like it might get too hard (if used for 8 hours straight). I bought a new dust mite cover for the mattress as well. I have not been able to put it on, since I am still figuring out the bed configuation. This one slips over and zippers, but I if had to do it again I would have bought one that just fits over the top of the mattress. I am a little worried that it might add to the heat of the mattress, but it is so thin, I don't think so. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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I tried the washable wool filled / cotton mattress pad last night. I am not sure I could notice much difference. I would NOT say it was cooler than my generic cotton/ polyester fill mattress pad. However, it was a cooler night, so this might be the wool being warmer in winter? I guess the wool in the mattress pad and mattress cover and comforter act as insulators (but breathable), so they will warm one up to body temperature. Then I put on the bamboo/cotton sheets for about 45 minutes. This did seem to have some cooling effect. I was still warm enough, but almost like the thermostat had been turned down a couple of degrees. However, that was just in the morning, so I'll have to see how they work for a whole night. I have not washed them yet, and I would say they don't feel quite as soft as all cotton. However, they are suppose to get softer after washing, so we'll have to see if that is an issue or not. Almost had the feel of a polyester/cotton blend. Has anyone used bamboo and found that it does get softer? Maybe a long staple low thread count cotton will still be the best overall? Time will tell. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Sandman: I am curious. What temperature do you have in your bedroom at night? I keep a digital monitor in my bedroom and the temperature usually runs between 70 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit. Much below 70 and it is too cool. And I do not like it about 73°F, that is too warm. Unless of course we're talking about the summertime then I like it around 76°F. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Eagle, I live about 1 mile from the ccean, and I don't have central air conditioning. I have 1 heater (no vent in the bedroom), but I rarely use that at night. So, while the weather here is pretty mild, I can't totally control the temperature. In summer, I might have the window open with a fan going. In winter I might use an electric blanket and a down comforter. Generally, I prefer the cooler weather for sleeping. I can't say for sure what the temperature was last night. Maybe I should get a thermometer in my room. I would guess it was 67-70 degrees inside last night. I was plenty warm with just sheets and a comforter. I have learned from this board that sheets may have a bigger effect than I ever thought. Not too long ago I bought single ply 600 TC Supima sheets. I think they are warmer than what I use to have. So, I am experimenting with some different things now to try to get the right temperature feel as well. I am probably more sensitive to it right now, since I am thinking a lot about mattress and how I am sleeping. Probably too many things going on, but I hopefully I will settle in on the right combination pretty soon. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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I am wondering if possibly part of your temperature difficulties, as regards sleeping, may have to do with humidity more than temperature. Living near the ocean, I would think, it has to be fairly humid year-round. It might be a good idea to get an inexpensive digital temperature and humidity gauge and began to record what the various temperature and humidity conditions are in your bedroom. With very little control over these two very important variables can make it very difficult for somebody who is having body temperature problems while sleeping. I make no claims about being an authority on the subject. But if my recall is correct, our bodies are perspiring all the time. However until that perspiration begins to accumulate on our skin we are not aware of it. But we are losing moisture through our skin 24/7. If there is not proper evaporation we become uncomfortable. They say in the desert, where there is almost no humidity at all, that you can dehydrate to the point of death, and not even realize it is happening to you. So if you are experiencing humidity at a fairly high level, I do not believe you will be as comfortable as you could be in your bed at night. My guess is that anything over 60% humidity will make it difficult to get comfortable. If my recall is correct, it is at approximately 60% humidity that mold begins to grow. I believe this is the reason that various people in the latex mattress business recommend slatted foundations for ventilation. I personally do not believe that slatted foundations are the best kind to get the full benefit out of latex. I would think that a very solid foundation would be the best. Thereby allowing the latex to do the flexing and not the foundation. But humidity may blow that idea into "a cocked hat!" The thread count of your sheets will definitely make a difference. I have found that between 250 and 300 thread count, in an all natural cotton sheet, to be very comfortable on my latex bed. This message was modified Nov 4, 2009 by eagle2
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Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Actually, humidity is not that big of a problem on the Pacific Ocean. I would say that humidity is normally around 30-40%. I probably live in one of the best climates in the world, but I don't use A/C or much heat to perfectly control it. Latex may run a bit hotter than an innerspring, due to the higher density. I am pretty much okay heat wise with all latex with the right covers on top. I think using the right kind of sheets will help as well. I am not convinced that wool does much to keep one cool. It may moderate the extremes, but may keep one at fairly warm (body?) temperature. I know that a wool sweater will be warmer than a cotton sweater (in summer and winter), due to the greater insulation ability. |
Re: mattress covers
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sandman wrote: I bought a new dust mite cover for the mattress as well. I have not been able to put it on, since I am still figuring out the bed configuration. This one slips over and zippers, but I if had to do it again I would have bought one that just fits over the top of the mattress. I am a little worried that it might add to the heat of the mattress, but it is so thin, I don't think so. I doubt that the mattress encasing will add to the heat. When I bought mine, I thought about getting a deeper one to cover both the mattress and the toppers, but I didn't know how many inches of topper I was going to end up with, so I got an encasing that's 9" deep (from National Allergy). It fits the mattress perfectly. It was a little difficult to get on without someone to help, so I'm glad I got the 9" deep one; if I had to fight with taking it off and putting it on every time I flipped the mattress (so the toppers would still be on the top), I'd get lazy and wouldn't flip it. Doesn't sound like the wool/cotton pad is doing much in the way of temperature regulation. I think I'll hold off on trying that, and just keep the thermostat turned down until I'm out of bed. I probably dragged out the comforter too soon; I'll need to get a medium-weight blanket for fall & spring. The comforter will be nice when it's 20 degrees outside at night. (The head of my bed is in front of a window, and this is an old house, not well insulated.) -Catherine |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Catherine, it seems like we have some of the same issues. I have tried Outlast, cotton bamboo sheets, wool filled mattress pad, and snugfleece. None seem to really help, and in fact wool may make it slightly worse for me. I am returning all of them. I am probably going to stick with cotton sheets and a cotton mattress pad, and I will use the lightest blankets/comforter that keeps me warm enough. I don't have the cotton filled mattress pad yet, so not sure if that will be any better than a poly filled one. Recently, when I felt pretty warm at night, I took off the top sheet and felt the mattress pad (generic poly filled one) where I had been lying. It felt pretty warm. So, I took that off and felt the Flobed wool filled mattress cover top and that felt pretty warm as well. So, I unzipped the cover and felt the top convoluted latex layer and that felt pretty warm. Then I felt the layer below, and that was a little warm. The layer below that was not noticeably warm were I had been lying. So, (this is just common sense I guess) the areas were one lies will heat up to body temperature. I am not sure if they get any hotter, but they will definitely be significantly warmer than room temperature. The wool and the latex will hold the heat until you move away and give them a chance to disipate the heat. I don't think the layers of material between will make much of a difference, unless they don't have the ability to retain much heat. Maybe cotton is better at that than wool. Some people may be bothered by that warmth and some may not. It will also be a function of how much you toss and turn. I may be doing less of that on the new mattress, so the warmth may be more noticeable. Also, it seems to bother me most around 1-2am. Maybe something to do with the sleep cycle. Latex may retain the heat more than an innerspring, because it is denser. An innerspring may be able to breathe better to the spring filled area which is mainly air. However, once you start add layers of foam to the innerspring, the same issue will occur. It is possible that the Celsion latex would breathe better and let the heat dissipate further down. However, you would probably have to be a at least 2 layers of that. And I am skeptical it would work because it seem that the latex itself would still heat up. At some point I may try sleeping with the Flobed cover off and only cotton between me and the latex. That is the only way for me take the wool completely out of the equation. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Sandman: it sounds like possibly what you need is an old-fashioned innerspring mattress with cotton only over the spring. With the outer cover or mattress ticking as they used to call it, made of cotton as well. But I would think that you would find that this type of mattress will heat up also, at least to some degree. The whole thing about the human body is that it gives off heat, when it stops giving off heat it is dead. So it really is a matter of how much heat your body gives off and how sensitive you are to it. If you wore the least heat retaining material possible as clothing, there would still be some heat in it from your body, I would think. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Eagle, at this point I would say it is a minor problem, not a major problem. Some nights it does not seem to bother me much at all. With the right combination of cotton and layers above me, I think it will be okay. I may be more sensitive to it right now, due to the newness of the situation. However, pretty soon I will have to decide whether it is enough of an issue to stay with the Flobed or not. |
Re: finding ways to sleep cool
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sandman wrote: Catherine, it seems like we have some of the same issues. I have tried Outlast, cotton bamboo sheets, wool filled mattress pad, and snugfleece. None seem to really help, and in fact wool may make it slightly worse for me. I am returning all of them. Oh dear. Well, thank you for sharing your results with the forum here. Very helpful. I hope the plain cotton mattress pad helps, if you try that. Overstock.com has some good deals on blankets; looks like there are some lightweight ones available. I'm not sure if I'm going to get one now, or wait until spring. We're having a warm spell here in upstate NY, but the temps will probably drop back down fairly soon. Some people may be bothered by that warmth and some may not. It will also be a function of how much you toss and turn. I may be doing less of that on the new mattress, so the warmth may be more noticeable. ..... Ah, good point. I don't know how much I toss and turn, but it's probably a lot less now that my bed is comfortable, instead of hurting my shoulders & hips. It is possible that the Celsion latex would breathe better and let the heat dissipate further down. However, you would probably have to be a at least 2 layers of that. And I am skeptical it would work because it seem that the latex itself would still heat up. I'm curious about the Celsion, but not curious enough to fork over the dough for it. Wouldn't make a difference for me, anyway, unless I used it as the top layer in my toppers. Right now, my Talatech layer is on the bottom, with the Oodles latex topper and a thin fiber-bed on top of those. (Very cushy; no more sore shoulders.) Good luck with the hunt for cool sleep. I prefer cooler temps for sleeping, too. -Catherine |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Temperature contol update. I tried sleeping with the cotton/wool flobed cover off. I put a cotton blanket (folded in half) over the convoluted latex latex, topped by an all cotton mattress pad and Supima cotton sheets. This felt even warmer than without the mattress cover. At 2am I reached under and felt the the convoluted latex and it was definitely pretty warm. So, my conclusion is that the wool probably does moderate the heat a bit, but at a temperature that might feel great to some and a bit too warm for others. Right now I am sleeping with the cotton/wool mattress cover on, with the cotton blanket over the mattress cover, with the cotton mattress pad and cotton sheets over that. I would say the temperature has been comfortably warm. Not so hot that it really bothers me. However, the weather is reasonably cool right now, so not sure how it will be in summer. I added the all cotton mattress pad within the past week. Not totally sure if it made much difference, but certainly did not make it worse. For kicks I am putting my wool filled mattress pad back on tonight, to see what difference I can detect. My final frontier will probably be to try Celsion latex at some point. I am a bit skeptical that it will make much difference, but I am curious to try it (on a returnable basis of course!). |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Sandman: I thought about you last night, right after I first went to bed. And no, this is not some kind of a wacko sexual perverted post. I have been suffering with a bout of some kind of flu, hopefully it is not H1N1. I Am Already Feeling Better! So whatever it is, it can't be to bad. But the point I want to make is this. I was still running fever and had some chills when I went to bed. The temperature was down around 40° outdoors, and the bed felt quite cool indeed. But within about two or three minutes it was warming up nicely and I felt quite comfortable. That's when I thought of you. I thought to myself "if this latex warms up this quickly under these conditions what is it going to be like when it is 80 and 90° F. at midnight come next summer"? My part of the country can get very hot in July and August. So it's going to be quite a trip when the temperature gets in the upper digits next year. That's quite sometime in the future, and I know you're having difficulties now, and I am sorry I can't give you any real moral support from actual experience. But good luck with your experimentation. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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At least you will have the air conditioner cranking away next summer. I have a small portable A/C, but I rarely use it when sleeping. It will be intersting to see if the wool helps keep one cooler in summer. Hopefully. So far it is keeping up with the warmer in winter part of the bargain. I assume the latex heats up to roughly body temperature. Therefore, summer may not be that different, other than it being hotter above the mattress. That is handled somewhat with less or no blankets, a fan, or a/c. Although, the latex will reach body temperature more quickly in summer (since it starts warmer). I always find it harder to sleep on the hot summer days, and I am sure that problem will still exist. I am also wondering if the latex will be softer when in summer? It does seem a little firmer to me after it has cooled down a bit. I know memory foam is firmer when colder. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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You make an interesting point about the latex softening when warmed up by the sleepers body. I have wondered about this myself, although the sensation is so slight that it's hard to tell. I would liken it more to a slight conforming of the latex to the body as it heats up. But not nearly as much as a memory foam would do. At least the few times that I have tried out memory foam. Quite frankly, I find it a rather pleasant experience. I think you're right about the summertime heat, at least I hope so. We normally keep our home in the 76°F range in the summertime with our air-conditioning. This keeps the humidity down, and the house quite comfortable for my wife and I. This message was modified Nov 18, 2009 by eagle2
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Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Eagle, after thinking about it more, the latex may warm up more (beneath where one is sleeping) in summer. Let's say in winter the latex below where one is sleeping warms up to only 85 degrees because the heat dissipates to the surrounding latex which is cooler (say 70 degrees). If the surrounding latex in summer is at 80 degrees, then the heat will dissipate more slowly. So maybe the latex below the body will warm up to 90 degrees. I assume it wil never get up to full body temperature, due to dissipation and the layers in between. This is just a hypothetical theory. I can't really know for sure without a way to test it. At some point I may try to put a thermometer probe in the top layer of latex to see what temperature it really does warm up to. This message was modified Nov 18, 2009 by sandman
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Re: Cooler memory foam?
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For those who are interested. I put a thermometer sensor in the top convoluted layer of latex below where I sleep the last 2 nights. The max. temperature it hit was 90.3 degrees (same for both nights). Room temperature was about 69-70. So, as expected, it approaches body temperature, but does not quite get there. The temperature above the wool cover will probably be different, so that may be the next place to measure. It was comfortable warm with just cotton/wool cover, cotton mattress pad and 200 TC cotton sheets. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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sandman wrote: For those who are interested. I put a thermometer sensor in the top convoluted layer of latex below where I sleep the last 2 nights. The max. temperature it hit was 90.3 degrees (same for both nights). Room temperature was about 69-70. So, as expected, it approaches body temperature, but does not quite get there. The temperature above the wool cover will probably be different, so that may be the next place to measure. It was comfortable warm with just cotton/wool cover, cotton mattress pad and 200 TC cotton sheets. Sandman: Good job! At least now we're getting some empirical data. I am assuming that you're putting your temperature sensor under the mattress cover, and on top of the convoluted layer of 2" latex? Is this correct? |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
| Yes that is correct. I put the sensor in one of the perferation holes at the top of the convoluted layer, about where my stomach will be. It is attached by wire to the LCD readout. I put the cotton/wool cover over, but I cannot zipper it 100% shut due to the wire. The I put on the mattress pad, sheets as normal. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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sandman wrote: Yes that is correct. I put the sensor in one of the perferation holes at the top of the convoluted layer, about where my stomach will be. It is attached by wire to the LCD readout. I put the cotton/wool cover over, but I cannot zipper it 100% shut due to the wire. The I put on the mattress pad, sheets as normal. Quite frankly Sandman, I want to commend you for this effort, as I do not believe that I have seen this kind of information anywhere else on the Internet. You would think that some of these niche market companies, who sell latex, would be willing to do some of this kind of research. Particularly when they offer unlimited or at least semi-limited exchange routines. With this kind of information they might conceivably save themselves some time and money in helping their customers. They are willing to put all kind of information on there website's, but nothing of this nature. However, I commend all niche market manufacturers of mattresses for being willing to be very specific about the contents of their mattresses as opposed to the big S brands that seem to do everything they can to keep their customers from knowing exactly what they're purchasing. I personally believe that websites like this one are invaluable. Simply because for all of my life when you went to purchase a mattress you had to rely exclusively on the reputation of the manufacture and the validity of what the salesperson told you. This used to be enough! You knew if you purchased at least a middle of the line, or a top of the line mattress from one of the big S brands that you were going to have a good mattress for a reasonable period of time. Some people, by following the manufacturers guidelines about flipping their mattress and rotating it, had good utilization of there purchase for 10 to 20 years. Good luck with your future investigation into your heating problem. No telling how many you may help with your experimentation. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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Yes, but I am still not sure I have found any great solutions. I am not sure how that 90 degrees would compare to a memory foam surface of an innerspring surface. I may be able to test using 1" of memory foam I have as the top layer. The article below indicates that innerspring mattresses are the coolest, because they allow the body heat to dissipate the best. However, they did compare it to latex in that study. I think that is probably right. However, once you start adding latex or foam to an innerspring the same problem would probably occur. Might depend on the densities and properties of the materials added. So, there is probably a tradeoff between comfort and heat buildup. Just putting cotton padding over a plain innerspring does not sound that comfortable to me. It is possible that some of the lighter synthetic materials that they put in innerspring covers will dissipate heat better. I read that somewhere. Not sure what those material are though and whether they can be added to a custom mattress. The Outlast mattress pad did not seem to provide any benefit to me. Anyway, right now I would say that I am comfortably warm at night. Not sure what warmer weather may bring though. http://www.furninfo.com/absolutenm/templates/NewsFeed.asp?articleid=9057 |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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http://www.mcroskey.com/how_our_beds_are_made.shtml If you are into old time hand made innerspring and a matching box spring, then it looks like to me you want a McRoskey mattress. This is a San Francisco based company, that is a 111 year old family run business. However, be ready to get out your checkbook. A California King size like my FlowBeds costs almost $5000. Interestingly enough the innerspring mattress is half that cost, with the other half being the box springs. The web link that I have posted will take you to a page that will allow you to view a good video about this company. If you like old time type beds, this looks like the place. I can not afford a McRoskey. And at my age there is no way I could get the use out of it. Beside I love my Flobeds Latex for $2,800. Oh well, to each his own. I can turn up the air conditioning a little for $2,000 One other thing to note when you go to their website. They have no return policy. They do have a 30 day exchange policy with a 25% restocking fee, if memory serves. There warranty is fairly generous. It is 10 years non prorated. So it is a good thing to read all the fine print. This message was modified Nov 20, 2009 by eagle2
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Re: Cooler memory foam?
| I have owned a McRoskey and can attest that it does sleep very cool. If you like sleeping on an overpriced rock with bonnell springs, you might like it. I hated it!! There are plenty of these mattresses for sale on craigslist in the San Francisco area at any given time so I'm guessing many people find them to be too firm. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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princesspea wrote: I have owned a McRoskey and can attest that it does sleep very cool. If you like sleeping on an overpriced rock with bonnell springs, you might like it. I hated it!! There are plenty of these mattresses for sale on craigslist in the San Francisco area at any given time so I'm guessing many people find them to be too firm. princesspea: I am very surprised to hear this. They claim to make a quite soft mattress as one of the choices. There list goes from, Extra Firm, to Firm, to Gentle, to Extra Gentle, those who like this last one call it "The Cloud." I am not trying to sell McRoskey mattresses, far from it... I like Flobeds, but for people who want an old time sleeping experience with cool cotton and innersprings, they sound like the mattress to own, if you can afford them. Your experience says otherwise. Thanks for giving us a differing perspective. |
Re: Cooler memory foam?
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It sounds like the McRoskey padding is made with layers of cotton and polyester. I always thought that polyester would be a "hot" material, but maybe it is good at dissipating heat? "...From 500-pound bales of cotton and polyester fiber combed into layer upon layer of luxurious filling materials, the second step of comfort is created. With these two components (wire and fibre) the mattress is assembled, covered in an all cotton ticking, sewn shut and tufted..." Update: as an another experiment I put my old poly filled mattress pad under the cotton one last night. It did seem a bit cooler. The latex heated up to 89 degrees. So, maybe there is something in this layering thing. Though too many will change the feel . I will be out of town the next week sleeping on a traditional innerspring. It will be interesting to see how that feels now that I am use to the latex. This message was modified Nov 21, 2009 by sandman
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Re: Cooler memory foam?
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I have an old poly fill pillow. I am more or less like Linus in the cartoon strip Peanuts as regards his yellow blanket, vis-à-vis my pillow. This pillow is ancient and most people would just throw it away. But it works for me. Which in the end, is what it is all about. It is some kind of poly fill. The law tag was years ago taken off of it, so I have no idea what is inside it really. I just know that it sleep very comfortably and is cool, at least for me. Sandman: Have a good and safe trip. When you return let us know how the conventional mattress compares to your FlowBeds latex. This message was modified Nov 21, 2009 by eagle2
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